Katie Ball profile picture

Katie Ball

I am here for Friends

About Me

I'm working on public radio projects, both as an arts contributor for The Arts Connection on WMFE 90.7fm and as an independent producer. I am currently producing features for WMFE's Central Florida StoryCorps project, which has been a terrific gig. I've just ended my bluegrass stint after a couple of years with WPRK and am planning to take the show to the web - Details soon! Been doing photography for 23 years and getting some cool gigs with that as well. Wrote and published the book Any Cool Music to put both my writing and photography skills to good use--plus it gave a much-needed shout out about Orlando's independent music scene. I sing with a few bands here and there, when the mood strikes. Got myself married to the coolest of guys, Ben Fisher in 2001. He's my best friend and the finest there is - he's also infinitely supportive when I come up with a new wild idea I have to try out. We have a lovably psychotic cat named Pinball.Bellydancing is my version of meditation.www.anycoolmusic.com www.wmfe.org/storycorps www.wprkdj.org www.aleena.com/magi/index.html

My Interests

I've ended my bluegrass show on WPRK (but please continue to support the station!) I'll be getting a podcast of the show up and running soon. And I'm into bellydancing, seeing live music, sharing a pint, reading, writing, etc...

I'd like to meet:

People who make and support independent art.

Music:

A friend once said he had good taste in bad music and bad taste in good music, and that about sums it up for me as well. Off the top of my head: David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Cheap Trick, Redd Kross, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone, Patty Griffin, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Iris DeMent, John Prine, Elvis Costello, They Might Be Giants, Lyle Lovett, Robyn Hitchcock, T.Rex, Syd Barrett, Del McCoury, Alison Krauss, Billie Holiday, Nanci Griffith, Dale Watson, M.Ward, Neko Case, The Avett Brothers, Lucero, Kings of Leon, Tenacious D., Pixies, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch. And I'm not shy about giving props to all the Orlando bands I enjoy!

Movies:

I love documentaries and indies more than anything, particularly A Class Divided. But there are also a few "classic" movies for me--John Carpenter's The Thing, The Right Stuff, Alien, M.A.S.H, Spirit of '76, This is Spinal Tap, To Kill a Mockingbird, Totoro, Wizard of Oz, Sling Blade, Brain Candy, Office Space. And strange but true...I will watch Overboard from start to finish any time I happen across it.

Television:

Ben and I only watch tv when hurricanes are coming, which is why we look like moronic zombies when we're in front of a tv in public.

Books:

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), Having Our Say (The Delaney Sisters), The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell), Jitterbug Perfume (Tom Robbins), The World According to Garp (John Irving), Self-Promotion for the Creative Person (Lee Silber) and Any Cool Music (Katie Ball), because now I know how difficult it is to write and publish a "little book."

Heroes:

I've got a number of them but for very different reasons: My grandma (for the best of who I am), my mom (for keeping us fed and for being the best schoolteacher I've ever seen), Tenzin Gyatso the XIVth Dalai Lama (for walking the walk), Buddha (for his teachings), Jesus (for loving the underdogs), Martin Luther King Jr (for his bravery and eloquence), Harper Lee (for writing the book that changed my life more than any other), Jane Elliott (for teaching her students not to hate), Chuck Yeager (for pushing the outside of the envelope), Charles Kuralt (for changing journalism forever and for his kindness when we met), Mother Theresa (for her limitless love), Mel Blanc (like I need to explain it?!), Bill Monroe (for creating bluegrass music), Ralph Rinzler (for making sure future generations would know about the Father of Bluegrass), Rick Rubin (for helping Johnny Cash to go out in a blaze of glory).

My Blog

PURE is dancing and drumming Fri 5/2 for Relay for Life.

Hi all,We're honored to be performing in Baldwin Park tomorrow night as part of a Relay for Life event.What: Relay For Life Baldwin Park, GO PURE PerformanceWhen: May 2, Friday, 7:30PMWhere: Glenridge...
Posted by Katie Ball on Thu, 01 May 2008 07:21:00 PST

Snake Arms and a Black and Decker.

I went to belly dance last night (after only a few at-home reminders of what I’ve learned to do and MONTHS away from it altogether). It was with GO PURE and I really really enjoyed it. The vibe ...
Posted by Katie Ball on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:48:00 PST

For the newly wed or nearly dead

So I have a deadline for a radio story due but it's not balls-to-the-wall due yet. It's just due because I know I have a ton of other stuff going on this weekend, a pick-up gig doing audio at City Hal...
Posted by Katie Ball on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:05:00 PST

Recording with Doris Delay

I just recorded a song with Doris Delay for their new cd and I had a great time. I worked mostly with Dominic and Nik and it was just a really nice experience. They were great at conveying what they w...
Posted by Katie Ball on Mon, 27 Feb 2006 08:54:00 PST